Retractable saddle standard



R. J. LANGREN RETRACTABLE SADDLE STANDARD Nov. 21, 1-967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 22. 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 22, 1964 INVENTOR. 2055/27" J AA 64 1A mhwrw flrroewsrs United States Patent of California Filed Sept. 22, 1964, Ser. No. 398,320 2 Claims. (Cl. 269-328) This invention concerns orthopedic tables, and more particularly a retractable saddle standard for such tables.

In orthopedic surgery, it is sometimes necessary to apply a plaster cast to certain areas of the patients bony in such a manner that the saddle which supports the patients buttocks on the orthopedic table also becomes encased in the plaster cast. This saddle is removably mounted to a standard aflixed to the orthopedic table, and in the past it has been necessary to disengage the saddle from its stationary standard by lifting the patient until the saddle clears the top of the standard. This procedure has several distinct disadvantages: For one, it was almost impossible to hold the patient exactly horizontal during the lifting operation, and as a consequence the saddle would almost invariably bind to the standard so as to require considerable upward pull and jostling to dislodge it from the standard. Secondly, the lifting of the patient immediately after application of the cast, even in the absence of the mechanical stress imposed by the binding of the saddle on the standard, was medically undesirable because of the possibility of additional injury to the patient.

The present invention overcomes these difiiculties by providing a retractable saddle standard which can be withdrawn below the surface of the orthopedic table while the patient is still lying on it in order to disengage the standard from the saddle without moving the patient. Following disengagement of the standard from the saddle, the patient can then be slid off the orthopedic table in a lateral direction and directly onto a stretcher without requiring any injurious lifting. At the same time, the standard can be withdrawn from the saddle at a time when the patient is fully supported in a level manner by the table surface so as to prevent misalignment and consequent binding of the saddle and the standard. If binding should nevertheless occur, the standard of this invention can be withdrawn by using the mechanical advantage of a screw thread without imposing any stress on the patient.

It is, therefore, the object of this invention to provide a retractable saddle standard for orthopedic tables which permits removal of the patient from the table in a lateral direction without lifting.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows an orhopedic table showing the saddle on its standard in position for receiving a patient;

FIG. 2 is a detail perspective view showing the saddle in position on its standard and the patients supporting platform raised into a position where it supports the saddle;

FIG. 3 shows the standard in its withdrawn position with the patient and saddle removed; and

FIG. 4 shows the withdrawing mechanism in vertical section.

Referring now to FIG. 1, an orthopedic table of the type described is generally shown at 10. The table is equipped with a headrest 12, backrest 14 and sacral saddle 16, and with a shoulder support platform 18, a platform 20 adapted to support the lower portion of the trunk of the patients body, and a leg rest 22. The supports 12, 14 and 16, of which 16 is the saddle here under consideration, serve to support certain areas of the patients body to which it may be desired to apply a cast. Where no cast is to be applied, the patient may be borne more comfortably by the platforms 18, 20 or 22. The platforms 18, 20, 22, it will be understood, can be adjusted in a vertical direction as can the supports 12, 14, 16.

Referring now to FIG. '2, the saddle 16 is composed of a pair of shell-like blades 24, 26 whose relative position can be adjusted for a particular patient by appropriate interengagement of the teeth 28, and which during application of the cast are fastened to the standard 30 by tightening of the set screw 32. Following its vertical adjustment, the standard 30 may be secured against accidental vertical movement by tightening of the lock screw 34 by means of a handle 36 (FIG. 4).

As is best shown in FIG. 4, the standard 30 and its base plate 38 are guided by the yoke 40 for vertical movement at the top end of a rod 42 which is freely slidable vertically within the tube 44. Rotation of the rod 42 is prevented by engagement of the flat sides of base plate 38 with the yoke 40. The tube 44 in turn is secured to the table 10 by a stationary bracket 46. A rotatable nut 48 provided with a handle 50 engages screw threads 52 formed on the lower end of rod 42. A spring 54 compressed between the upper end of the tube 44 and the base plate 38 urges the standard 30 upwardly, with the upward movement of the rod 42 being limited by engagement of the nut 48 with the underside of the bracket 46. The operation of the device is as follows: If it is desired, for example, to apply a cast to the abdominal region of a patient, the platforms 18 and 22 may be raised to their elevated position, whereas the platform 20 remains in the lowered position shown in FIG. 1. The patients shoulders are placed on the platform 18, whereas his legs may rest on the platform 22. The patients buttocks are placed onto the saddle 16, which is attached to the standard 30 in the manner shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The cast can now be applied to the patient, inasmuch as the low position of the platform 20 permits access to the back of the patient for application of the cast. When the cast is finished, it encompasses the saddle 16 within it, so that the saddle 16 must be removed from the table together with the patient. This is accomplished by raising the platform 20 until it contacts the back of the patient at the place of the cast and carries the load of the patients weight. With the load now taken off the standard 30 to which the saddle 16 is still attached, the set screw 32 is released and the handle 50 is turned so as to draw the standard 30 downwardly against the bias of spring 54 until it assumes the position shown in FIG. 3. At this time, the standard 30 is completely withdrawn from the saddle 16, and the patient can then be slid laterally off the table 10 without difficulty onto a Waiting stretcher.

It will be seen that the present invention presents a simple but effective solution to the problem of removal of the patient from an orthopedic table following application of a cast encompassing a saddle. Obviously, the principle of this invention is applicable in a variety of ways, and I therefore do not desire to be limited by the embodiment shown and described, but rather only by the scope of the following claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an orthopedic table:

(a) a vertically movable platform having an upper planar horizontal surface for supporting the lower portion of the trunk of a patients body;

(b) a vertical standard;

(c) a sacral saddle releasably supported on the upper 9nd of said standard; said planar horizontal surface 'kt ending under said sacral saddle and laterally at least to one edge of said platform;

(d) said vertical standard being movable between a 2. The device of claim 1 in which said last-named first position in which its upper end supportingly means are screw-threaded.

engages said sacral saddle in its position of use, and

a second position in which said upper end is below References Cit d the lowest portion of said sacral saddle when said 5 sacral saddle rests on said platform in the highest UNITED STATES PATENTS position of said platform; and 1,113,658 10/1914 Landenberger 12884.2 (e) means for lowering said standard, whereby said 2,20 41 5/ 1940 Chick 269-328 standard may be vertically Withdrawn from supporting engagement with said sacral saddle when said 10 ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner. saddle is encased in a cast applied to a patient and said patient is supported by said platform in the LESTER SWINGLE Emmmer' highest position of said platform. E. SUTTON, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN AN ORTHOPEDIC TABLE: (A) A VERTICALLY MOVABLE PLATFORM HAVING AN UPPER PLANAR HORIZONTAL SURFACE FOR SUPPORTING THE LOWER PORTION OF THE TRUNK OF A PATIENT''S BODY; (B) A VERTICAL STANDARD; (C) A SACRAL SADDLE RELEASABLY SUPPORTED ON THE UPPER END OF SAID STANDARD; SAID PLANAR HORIZONTAL SURFACE EXTENDING UNDER SAID SACRAL SADDLE AND LATERALLY AT LEAST TO ONE EDGE OF SAID PLATFORM; (D) SAID VERTICAL STANDARD BEING MOVABLE BETWEEN A FIRST PORTION IN WHICH ITS UPPER END SUPPORTINGLY ENGAGES SAID SACRAL SADDLE IN ITS PORTION OF USE, AND A SECOND POSITION IN WHICH SAID UPPER END IS BELOW THE LOWEST PORTION OF SAID SACRAL SADDLE WHEN SAID SACRAL SADDLE RESTS ON SAID PLATFORM IN THE HIGHEST POSITION OF SAID PLATFORM; AND (E) MEANS FOR LOWERING SAID STANDARD, WHEREBY SAID STANDARD MAY BE VERTICALLY WITHDRAWN FROM SUPPORTING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SACRAL SADDLE WHEN SAID SADDLE IS ENCASED IN A CAST APPLIED TO A PATIENT AND SAID PATIENT IS SUPPORTED BY SAID PLATFORM IN THE HIGHEST PORTION OF SAID PLATFORM. 